I have been asked repeatedly about our connection with the Church of God (COG) in Aylmer. When the questions first started to come I had never spoken to Henry Hildebrandt and knew very little about his church. In the weeks and months that followed I spoke with Henry on separate occasions and in person. At that initial meeting with Henry I asked him a series of pointed questions. I was concerned. I was glad his church was open, but I had heard rumors of heresy and cultish behaviour and wanted to hear it from him. Ordinarily I might have dismissed a group like his outright. But the COG Aylmer was one of the very few churches in Ontario that remained open through the lockdowns, and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. So, I asked him about his view of Scripture, his view of salvation, his understanding of the person and work of Christ and so on. And I came away mostly satisfied. There were clear differences between us, but on th...
Over the course of the last year, I have had plenty of time to privately reflect on what transpired through 2020 and 2021, and I have concluded that on some points I was in the wrong. I have decided to address those things here. Some may disagree with what I have concluded, but I write here first and last for Him. First, I believe I was sometimes overly harsh and severe in my writing. I have since removed several blog posts, which I now believe lacked grace and char ity. I still believe the churches should have remained open through the lockdowns, but I wish I had written with a better understanding of my own heart and a more charitable view of my brothers in Christ. I was appalled by what I saw in those days, but in my zeal to speak the truth I sometimes lacked compassion and grace. Second, when I was wronged by colleagues in the ministry I had a choice. I could have covered what I believed to be sin, but I chose instead to expose it to the pub...
[Edited May 2024] For 12 years I enthusiastically subscribed to the Westminster standards. I signed my copy of the Solemn League and Covenant , I taught my children the catechisms, and I prayed earnestly that they would grow up to subscribe in full to the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF). For much of that time I was convinced that given enough time I could persuade any Baptist of the error of his ways. I even went so far as to tell some Baptists brothers that withholding baptism from their children was sinful. I grieved when Presbyterians became Baptist; and if you had told me of a man who had gone from being a Baptist to a Presbyterian only to become Baptist again I would have felt embarrassment for him. Sounds more like a ship “tossed to and fro” (Ephesians 4:14) than a man. But here I am writing to say that I am that man. Even four months ago I was certain I would always be Presbyterian. But after a period of prayer and intense s...
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